


Nothing I'm Running From

by swallowsmateforlife



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Anal Sex, Established Relationship, M/M, Mpreg, Mpreg Harry, Shower Sex, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-15
Updated: 2014-02-15
Packaged: 2018-01-12 13:48:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1187559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swallowsmateforlife/pseuds/swallowsmateforlife
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The odds are one in a million. Chances are it's not going to happen to them.</p><p>or</p><p>It does happen to them and Harry Styles is pregnant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nothing I'm Running From

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place in the semi-real world of 2014 and One Direction. The only difference is that male pregnancy is not exactly unheard of but is incredibly, extremely rare.

Harry hadn’t felt sick at all this morning when he woke up. He didn’t feel sick at all in the car on the ride over here. And he certainly didn’t feel sick at all moments ago as they entered the building, so he’s not sure what’s happening when they step into the studio the photo shoot is being held at and the smell of the catering table wafts toward him. It’s finger sandwiches, salads, and fruit trays but when the scent of sliced pickles hits his nose Harry’s stomach lurches and he feels the hot burn of bile rising in his throat. Dashing for the nearest trash bin Harry bent at the waist over it, heaving nothing but hot stomach acid and too much saliva, his stomach empty from skipping breakfast.

There was a moment of stunned silence as the boys and Paul stared on, the shoot crew turning from their duties at the sound of retching. Hot embarrassment blushes Harry’s cheeks as they all stare on while Louis hurries to Harry, a snatched bottle of water from the table in hand.

“Are you alright? Harry, what’s wrong?” He asked hurriedly, unscrewing the lid of the water bottle to give to Harry, his arm curling protectively around the young man’s shoulder and turning their bodies away from the stunned people staring on. There are tears in Harry’s eyes, the kind that come with throwing up that he remembers apologizing to his mother for when he was little and home sick from school, and she would pet his hair and tell him not to worry and everyone gets sick sometimes.

“Have a drink, Haz,” Louis insists, rubbing between Harry’s shoulder blades and now he feels the dull ache from the effort his muscles put into the attempt at vomiting. He drank back a few gulps, knitting eyebrows together as his stomach churned a little more with nothing but a few sips of water in it now. Perhaps skipping breakfast wasn’t the best idea, but Harry certainly didn’t think it would mean puking at the mere scent of food?

“I need some air,” he murmured, voice raw now from his scratchy throat. Louis nodded, immediately guiding Harry back through the door in which they’d just come, leaving the others behind to head to hair and make-up. They knew it’d be okay and Louis could take care of Harry for a moment.

“Are you alright?” He questioned, facing Harry, his hands coming up to cup Harry’s cheeks. Louis’ thumbs wiped the remnants of tears and then settled on Harry’s jaw again. “You look absolutely pasty,” Louis frowned, taken aback as much as the others.

Harry took another small drink from the bottle in his hand, sniffling a moment before looking at Louis again.

“I think so,” he finally answered, nodding a little. This was not the way he intended on starting the day and he couldn’t imagine the work Lou would have to do on his face to make him look back to normal again, not all clammy and awful as he felt right now. “I… I don’t know what happened. It just hit me,” he said, frowning a little and taking a slow breath to calm his racing heart and fluttery tummy.

Louis’ hand came up to press his wrist to Harry’s forehead, though he didn’t feel much of a temperature. He hmm’d in thought, frowning to himself and wondering if perhaps it was a flu bug. He supposed he ought to stock up on Vitamin C now and hope he didn’t get it… which he knew likely considering the circumstance. Sharing kisses and other much more devious things with Harry for the last few years meant sharing clothes and hair products and germs too. Marvelous.

“Ah, love,” Louis cooed, pressing a kiss to Harry’s cheek and smiling as he pulled back. “You’ll be alright. Can you make it through this today? And then we’ll get you tucked back into bed straight away, you’ll be right as rain by tomorrow, I reckon.”

* * * * *

Louis was wrong and Harry was cross about it. He’d spent the afternoon and subsequent evening in bed, practically spoon-fed chicken soup by Louis and watched nearly an entire season of Heroes but morning came and Harry was nauseous the moment he stepped out of bed.  He supposed he’d feel better after eating breakfast and mostly he did but his body ached a little from the contractions of vomiting and he felt tired, despite spending nearly all of yesterday in bed once he’d gotten home with Louis from the photo shoot.

Luckily enough One Direction were on a winter break of sorts, with only yesterday’s photo shoot on schedule and then a few blissful months off with no particular commitments ahead of them. It meant he could mope around the house today in a pair of Louis’ trackies (too short for Harry’s long legs but comfortable none the less) and a sweatshirt, and not worry about much of anything other than resting and feeling better.

A snuggle and a cuppa helped, though, and Harry was grateful for that. Settling into the couch, Louis’ arm draped easily over his shoulder as he curled into Louis’ side and closed his eyes. Generally he was a healthy person, though he had had a spot of hay fever in Australia last year but those things happened, right? He supposed he should be grateful this didn’t happen on tour and he could ride it out at home, at least, in his own bed and jammies as Louis stroked his hair and pressed kisses to his temple. That, Harry thought, was probably the key to getting well.

“What do you want for Christmas?” Harry asked after a quiet moment, staying cuddled in close, eyes still closed. It was another month away, still, but Harry thought he ought to get some ideas taken care of sooner rather than later.

“I reckon I’ve got everything I need right here, haven’t I?” Louis said, another kiss pressed to Harry’s forehead, smiling through it as he did. Harry pinched Louis’ hip gently at that and scoffed.

“I have too, but everyone loves something under the tree to open, don’t they?” Harry countered, nodding against Louis’ chest gently. He knew neither of them was too concerned with the gift-getting of Christmas but the sentiment was nice enough, really.

“I s’pose so,” Louis agreed, though he made no further move to answer Harry’s question and was rather content to just hum a sigh of happiness into Harry’s curls.

* * * * *

It’d been two weeks since the photo shoot and Harry is looking over the proofs of the photos management sent to all the boys’ emails. He thinks he looks just fine in the photos, which is really all thanks to Lou’s craft.

He feels better, too, aside from being tired most of the time but Harry supposes that’s due to finally having time off to just catch up on sleep and relax, really. He’s got the time to be lazy so his body is letting him. Sleeping in until lunch time and having a late-day nap was the life for Harry and he couldn’t have been happier with it.

Its one particular afternoon when he’s lounging in bed with Louis that Harry feels the intense swell of love in his heart and he can’t help himself but to lean up into Louis for a long, slow kiss. His hand comes up to cup Louis’ jaw, thumb brushing the stubble there. Harry smiles into the kiss a little bit, sealing it with a few smaller little pecks full of adoration.

“What’s gotten into you, hm?” Louis ponders, looking down at Harry and his beautiful green eyes and smiling face and oh, he’s lucky. He knows he is. Harry has been the most beautiful boy on earth since the moment Louis laid eyes on him at boot camp those years ago. Back then he was all baby-deer and bright eyes, excitable and eager and precious. He still is, but he’s a little more refined now. He’s still Bambi to Louis. He always will be.

“Nothing, really,” Harry smiles, shaking his head a little and Louis loves the way his curls bounce gently when he does it. “I just love you,” Harry says, chest heavy with it. It’s been like this for a few days, really. He feels full of emotion, like his love for Louis is overflowing endlessly and consuming every piece of him.

Which isn’t to say he hasn’t loved Louis like this for a long time – he has – but lately it feels like he might drown in all things Louis and sometimes maybe like he could cry about it too. He’s always been open with his emotions and hasn’t ever felt like he’s needed to check them, but he’s certain he’s never cried over loving Louis and he’s not so certain about why he might, just now.

“Well, I just love you, too,” Louis affirms, another kiss pressed to Harry’s lips as they settle in together once more.

Harry thinks that as much as he knows Louis loves him, he loves Louis half a bit more.

* * * * *

The dull ache in his lower back and his hips is getting old and Harry wished he knew why he was so sore all the time. He wasn’t doing anything particularly strenuous and Louis hadn’t fucked him particularly roughly as of late so the ever-present ache in his bones is annoying, to say the least. It wasn’t crippling or anything but some mornings he found himself getting out of bed a little more gingerly than before and stretching it out wasn’t really helping.

Sighing his way into the kitchen he started the kettle boiling and leaned up against the counter top as he scrolled through his twitter mentions on his phone. There were mostly shout-out and follow requests peppered with a few photos with fans who’d stopped him the other day in town. Nothing scandalous, nothing offensive, but one fan photo and tweet touting his “beautiful glow” followed by “#pregnant?” made him wrinkle his nose in a mixture of amusement and wonder.

He frowned in thought as he looked at a few of the photos of himself with fans, the ease of his smile, the clarity and… glowiness of his skin. But he was always rather pleased to stop for photos with fans and to smile for their camera phones. It was just the time off and the being home that had done it. They all looked well-rested and happy. That’s all. He certainly wasn’t glowing. Or pregnant.

Then again he had been sick for a while a few weeks back. Mostly in the mornings or at particularly offensive smells. But flu did that to a person too, right?

There was the tired lethargy too but he was sure all the boys sort of crashed after tour too, so not to worry. He was certain that Zayn and Liam and Niall were also spending most of their time in bed and taking hours-long naps every day too. Post-tour crash was A Thing and nothing to worry about. Right?

But Harry couldn’t shake the thoughts as they kept coming. He’d been sick, and he’d been exhausted, and he’d been achy and sore and he’d been an overflowing bucket of emotions lately too. He’d tell no souls but he’d cried the other day when he struggled to muster the strength to open the peanut butter jar.

And there were more than a few tweets in his feed about how glowy he looked lately.

He needed to sit down.

* * * * *

Harry had googled every variation of the words “male pregnancy” that he could think of for answers to what he already knew in his heart. Or… stomach.

It wasn’t exactly unheard of but it was certainly rare. Rare enough that he and Louis hadn’t ever really discussed the possibilities once they’d agreed to not need to use condoms anymore. The likelihood of it happening to one of them was slim but, Harry supposed, it would be just his fucking luck that he wind up to be one of the one in five fucking million men that it could happen to. There were fewer than two thousand instances of male pregnancy in the history of everything and Harry Styles was one of the fluke men blessed with the mutation? “Blessed”, finger quotes, he might add.

He was barely twenty years old with his entire life ahead of him and a career and the band and certainly not a baby!

But the websites affirmed it and he knew the only thing left to do was a test but what was the use? He had all the symptoms and he had unprotected sex with Louis every time. He really was, as they put it, ‘hashtag pregnant’.

The idea of telling Louis sent his stomach churning but that was truly the least of his worries. Louis Tomlinson was born to be a father some day and loved children to death. He was incredible around the little ones and couldn’t wait for the day when One Direction slowed down and he and Harry could adopt or perhaps use a surrogate, even. He wanted little Styles-Tomlinsons running around and though they had talked about it… it was never in this way. It was so unlikely to be in this way that it wasn’t even brought to the table.

Alas.

Harry groaned, hiding his face in his hands for a moment. Telling the lads seemed terrifying. And his mother? What would his mother think? Young Harry getting himself into the most amount of trouble possible. Twenty years old and practically barefoot and pregnant.

Perhaps if he pretended hard enough that it wasn’t real it would go away.

* * * * *  

It didn’t go away.

Harry had tried to ignore it and forget it and keep it secret. Baggier sweaters and t-shirts helped, a bit, but when it was just him in front of the bathroom mirror he could tell that the definition in his stomach was slowly filling out and the V of his hips was going away too.

It was three weeks since he self-diagnosed and he was only getting achier and his tummy rounder as the days went on. To anyone else he was sure he looked just the same, but he knew himself well. And Louis – though Harry knew he loved him no matter what – would no doubt notice Harry’s gain. He knew he could chalk it up a little bit, at least, to being off tour and not nearly as active as when he was on tour but sooner or later his tummy was going to be a bump and then eventually a baby. He couldn’t stop this and he couldn’t hide it for much longer either.

Harry had to tell Louis but he was dreading it. He knew Louis would be excited, of course he would, but this wasn’t the ideal time. Then again, he supposed, when was a baby ever ‘ideal’? Was anyone truly ready for that? Harry supposed not but it didn’t comfort him any.

He supposed he ought to be sure-sure before he did and thought about making an appointment with his doctor but… this wasn’t just a sore throat or anything. This was pregnancy. This was, unfortunately, going to be ground breaking world news that he wasn’t ready to face yet and though he liked to believe in the whole secrecy thing – the Hippocratic Oath thing -  from doctors, his celebrity status didn’t give him the best confidence in that department. Not only would the world find out Harry was pregnant but also gay and eventually also with Louis. And the last two weren’t that big of secrets, people had theories all along and for the most part they were true but neither Harry nor Louis had ever bothered to confirm anything or make any kind of statements. This was just going to open a whole new can of worms.

And then there was that small issue of a pregnancy test. Harry Styles couldn’t exactly waltz into the store and come out with a pregnancy test because… well, because! That just meant more rumours and problems. Harry didn’t even know if the standard pharmacy pregnancy tests even worked with men. Did they? Would they? Was there a difference?

Groaning, Harry flopped himself down on the bed he and Louis shared, rolling around a little in contemplation. He had to figure something out sooner rather than later because he couldn’t hide this from Louis forever, nor did he want to. Louis was his boyfriend – of years now – and Louis would understand and be excited and happy for them.

 Harry could use some excitement about now.

* * * * * 

“Lou?” Harry asked a day later, tentative like a small child asking to sleep in his parent’s bed after a nightmare. He had decided that his first order of business was to just tell Louis. He would know what to do about the doctor things and figuring out their privacy and all of the real adult stuff, really. Louis always knew what to do.

“Hmm?” Louis hummed, looking up at Harry from where he was sat watching the telly, nothing in particular catching his interest but keeping his attention none the less. He had his glasses on and his hair was soft and in his face and Harry loved this Louis. This beautiful, casual, only-for-him Louis. Coming into the living room further Harry climbed onto the couch to curl up into Louis’ side, resting his head on his boyfriend’s chest and closing his eyes as he took a slow breath.

“Haz, love, what’s the matter?” Louis asked softly, arm draping over Harry’s back and leaning down to nuzzle into his soft curls. “Are you feeling poorly again?” He asked, knowing the nausea wasn’t entirely gone yet but for the most part Harry had been doing better these last few weeks. Harry shook his head.

“I’ve got something to tell you and you might not believe me but you must,” Harry said, opening his eyes and looking up to meet Louis’ blue ones. “It’s kind of… unbelievable but I know it’s the truth and it’s real and it’s happened. It’s happening.”

Louis looked down at Harry; frowning a little as he reached for the remote control to turn the television volume down to almost nothing. What could Harry possibly have to tell him that was this unbelievable and clearly troubling to him? Louis could tell Harry was anxious. They’d lived in each other’s pockets for a few years now and all five of the boys knew each other’s moods well enough to know when something was up. Something was definitely up with Harry and Louis was nervous.

“What? What is it?” Louis finally asked, bringing his hand up to gently touch Harry’s cheek, stroking his jawline as they looked at each other. He wracked his brain for what it could be but nothing was coming to mind. He trusted Harry and his loyalty completely, had no doubts about any infidelities, what could it be?

Harry felt sick as he hid his face down against Louis’ chest again, unable to look at him any longer before the words tumbled out of his mouth, muffled into the fabric of Louis’ t-shirt.

“M’pregnant.”

Two words. Well, hardly even two. All melded together to form one muffled word but Louis heard the message loud and clear. His immediate thought was that surely this could not be true but… well; he supposed it very well could be. There were those rare cases but… Harry? And Harry had insisted Louis believe him, hadn’t he? The room was beginning to go fuzzy at the edges of his vision and Louis felt like it wasn’t Harry on his chest at all but rather a stack of bricks, squeezing the air out of his lungs.

He was quiet for a long while, just taking it in as his fingertips slipped up and down along Harry’s back. Pregnant. Thinking about it now it really would explain a lot. The morning sickness, Harry’s aversion to food smells… the tiredness and the naps, his ravenous eating…

“Really?” Louis finally asked after a few moments of thinking, frowning in deep thought. Harry simply nodded against his chest. “How d’you know though? I… I’m not doubting you, love, just. How do you know?”

“I just know,” Harry said, a choked laugh escaping him at his ridiculous answer. “I just know. All the signs are there. I’m glowing.”

Louis couldn’t help the laugh he let out, stroking his fingers up through Harry’s hair. Out of all things. Glowing. “I s’pose you are, yeah,” he nodded, smiling to himself a little. Harry was beautiful to Louis all the time but particularly lately he was smiley and fresh-faced and there certainly was an aura about him, wasn’t there?

“It’s not funny, Lou!” Harry insisted, sitting himself up to stare Louis down, a scowl on his face. Louis felt bad immediately.

“No, no,” Louis said, sitting up straighter and reaching out for Harry’s hand to hold. “No, it’s not. I’m sorry. Just…” he paused, really looking at Harry. “You are. Glowing, I mean.”

“I didn’t think this would happen to us. It’s so, so rare. The chances are-“ Harry was cut off.

“One in a million, yeah,” Louis finished. Harry shook his head.

“In _five_ million,” Harry corrected, scowling still.

“Whew,” Louis breathed, shaking his head. “I mean I suppose it serves us right, doesn’t it? Lord knows we haven’t used a condom in how long? But you just don’t think that you’re gonna be the one in five million, now do you?” Louis pondered, knowing that that was mostly why they never bothered with the protection because, well, what were the odds?

“Well I certainly didn’t,” Harry said, squeezing Louis’ hand gently. “No one knows. But… but I guess people suspect? That’s how I found out in the first place. All over Twitter, people were saying I looked… well, glowy. And then I got to thinking about how I’d been feeling and… well that was a few weeks ago and I just didn’t know how to tell you and now I’m telling you but I haven’t seen my doctor or anything and I wanted your help with all that.”

“A few weeks ago?” Louis asked, raising his eyebrows. “Harry, how pregnant are you?”

Harry frowned.

“I, well. I don’t know for sure but I started getting sick, what? Maybe about a month ago? Five weeks?” He pondered, wondering if he was, well, ‘freshly pregnant’ at that time or had it also been a few weeks by then? “And I’ve known myself about two weeks now so I guess… six weeks, yeah?”

“We’d best get you to a doctor, hadn’t we?” Louis asked, trying to think back to when this could have happened. But he and Harry had a regular enough sex life so how could he ever know when it was?

It was possible that it was just before Louis had returned to England and Harry had stayed in Los Angeles for a while. They’d gotten impossibly sloshed on hotel champagne and made out in the Jacuzzi tub for a little while before moving it to one of the beds in the room and had some of the hottest, dirtiest, utterly filthiest sex Louis had ever had in his life. Harry was amazing in bed in general but when he was drunk he was truly something else, words spilling out of his lips that made even Louis blush.

Or perhaps it was the night Harry returned from America. Louis liked to think maybe it was that night, because that night was rather lovely, if he did say so himself. After so much time apart it was a reunion, really, and sex that night had been tender and gentle and full of so much love Louis thought he might burst open with it. He’d hoped that was the night, then.

“It has to be private,” Harry said, knowing the mess this could cause in the media. “I just knew you’d know how to handle it. Privacy and all. Contracts? I don’t know,” Harry sighed, looking up at Louis again.

“Haz, listen. We’ll get you sorted,” Louis said, nodding a bit. He leaned in to press the softest of kisses to Harry’s lips finally, holding it for a moment. “Listen, I love you. And… if you are pregnant, which I suppose you are, we’ll figure it all out. I’m not mad, alright? Not in the slightest,” Louis said, though he was slightly terrified. It was a lot to take in but he was trying to keep a level head for Harry, really.

Harry nodded, pressing another kiss to Louis’ lips and smiling just a little.

“I didn’t think we’d be parents like this,” he said, bumping noses gently with Louis. “But… well. It’s kind of nice knowing that we’ll have one of our own, isn’t it? Even if it is so soon,” he frowned. God, he was just – _just_ – twenty years old. His mother would kill him.

* * * * * 

Louis had done exactly what Harry knew he would. Arranged the doctor – a specialist in unique and difficult pregnancies – and had their lawyers draft up confidentiality agreements. It was a process, no doubt, in arranging the visit be in a regular clinic so no one would suspect anything unusual. Graciously, the doctor agreed to help and see Harry and the two could not have been more thankful.

It was a week later that Harry and Louis made their way to the inconspicuous doctor’s office and back into an examination room to talk with the new doctor – a woman, they’d learned. Doctor Woodrow.

And it was everything Harry already knew to be true. Pregnant.

But.

“Nine?!” He gaped, staring up at the ultrasound screen in disbelief. “Nine weeks?”

“About that, yes,” Doctor Woodrow confirmed as she moved the wand over Harry’s lower tummy again. “Judging by the size of this little one I’d say about nine weeks,” she nodded, and Harry felt his eyes might pop right out of his head.

“Everything does look to be normal and healthy, however. Good size, good movement too. You’ve been having morning sickness, yes? As much as it’s awful for you it’s a good sign. Means the baby is health and moving about, though you won’t be able to feel anything for a while yet.”

Harry looked over at Louis who was sat on the other side of the exam table, staring up at the ultrasound screen. He looked about as Harry expected; in shock, really, but there was something else. Perhaps to a stranger no one would notice but Harry could see the glint in Louis’ eyes, the slight upward turn of the corners of his mouth. Louis was happy.

“I… I thought maybe six or so. That’s… that’s so far,” Harry said, frowning. “That’s more than two months!”

“Mmm, closing in on the end of the first trimester, you are,” Doctor Woodrow said with a smile, looking at the two of them. “Don’t you worry, my dear, you’re doing beautifully. Nothing to fret about. Would you like to try to find the heartbeat?”

Harry looked at Louis again, raising his eyebrows. He supposed the one perk of being way off in his estimate of weeks was that their baby was more than just a lump on the screen and, apparently, had a heartbeat already. This was overwhelming.

“Yes,” Louis very nearly whispered, and Harry smiled. He knew how scary this had to be for Louis, too. They were in this together and this was their baby and neither of them ever expected it but here they were, about to hear the heartbeat of their child. “Please, yeah,” Louis nodded, squeezing Harry’s hand.

Doctor Woodrow nodded as she moved the wand on Harry’s stomach, turning the speaker on and oh. Oh. Harry gasped when he heard it; the rapid ba-dum-da-dum-ba-dum of the heartbeat filling the room. Louis squeezed his hand again and when Harry looked at him once more he was smiling. Harry smiled back, biting his lip gently. This was it. This was real.

“There we have it,” Doctor Woodrow beamed, looking at the two of them. “Healthy, strong, just on track as all things should be. Nothing to worry about, dears.”

After turning the ultrasound machine off and giving Harry some paper towels to clean up the goop on his tummy, she excused herself from the room to give them a moment alone while she went to print off their ultrasound photos.

“Somethin’ else, innit?” Louis asked, reaching for a sheet of the paper towel to help Harry clean up his tummy. His head was still reeling but truly he felt as if his heart could burst. He’d always wanted this. He just didn’t think it’d be in this way, but truthfully he was kind of happy it was.

“It’s mad,” Harry said, looking up at Louis as he sat up properly and stood, hiking his jeans back up to button and zip. Smoothing out his shirt, he glanced at Louis, shaking his head lightly. “I just… I knew it was real but this sort of makes it, y’know. More real,” he said, a casual shrug of the shoulders.

“I know, bloody hell,” Louis said, stepping forward to take Harry into his arms, hugging him closely. “But don’t worry, Haz. This is one step down, yeah? Now we just gotta take the next ones as they come,” Louis said. For as mischievous as Louis could be, and for as much mayhem as he caused sometimes Harry knew deep down he could always truly count on Louis for things that mattered.

Nodding, Harry took a moment to just hug Louis, breathe him in and find solace in the fact that Louis was so confident that everything was going to be okay.

“Now,” Louis said, pulling back and looking at Harry. “I think this is cause for a celebration, don’t you? You’re having our baby. Our baby! And we heard its little heartbeat and saw the little nugget on that screen and it’s all very real,” Louis laughed, reaching for the door so they could exit together. “I say cheesecake and movies in bed tonight.”

Cheesecake sounded perfect. Harry knew he’d never stay awake long enough for a movie.

* * * * * 

“Lou, c’mon,” Harry breathed, voice wanton and full of lust. “Harder.”

Harry was nearly desperate at this point. He was pregnant, not fine China, and Louis was holding out on him. Harry was insatiable lately, but Doctor Woodrow had explained that it was normal. The growing baby took up room and blood flow to that area of the body was heightened. Harry felt sixteen again and like he was back in the X Factor house, sneaking off into bathrooms with eighteen year old Louis because hormones were rampant and Louis was beautiful and Harry was smitten.

He moaned as Louis pushed deeper into him, finally, groaning in satisfaction as he rested his cheek down on his folded arms, closing his eyes. He was on his knees in the bed, Louis fucking him from behind and Harry couldn’t have been happier in that moment. He wanted sex all the time now and could hardly keep his hands to himself when he and Louis had time alone. Pushing his hips back a little he moaned and furrowed his eyebrows, lips parting obscenely.

“Yesss,” he sighed out, grinding his hips back gently to meet each of Louis’ thrusts. He could take it and he wanted Louis to be rougher with him but he knew Louis was a little anxious about the baby and upsetting anything. Still, Harry tried to be encouraging with his moans and delight, letting Louis know he was just fine.

Louis’ breaths came in soft pants as he looked down at Harry’s broad, beautiful back and the way it arched as Harry’s hips pushed back. He held Harry’s hips tightly, grinding his own forward and into him each time in the way he knew made Harry particularly happiest. Harry was beautiful all the time, but during sex he just… shone.

Radiant smile, brilliant bright eyes, and mixed with that pregnant glow Harry was the most beautiful man Louis had ever laid eyes on. He leaned down over Harry’s back, lips dragging against Harry’s shoulder as he thrust in a little harder, his anxieties letting up a little.

“Like this, love?” He purred against the back of Harry’s ear, moaning breathily against his skin.

“Nnghyes,” Harry whimpered, his hand shifting to sneak down past his small baby bump and curl around his dick. He wanked himself slowly, teasing himself as Louis grinded into his arse behind him. “Don’t stop. M’gonna cum,” Harry nodded, arching against Louis’ chest gently and gasping.

It was only a moment later before he came, crying out loudly and bucking against Louis with a moan as he spurted over his hand. Louis came too, moments after, pushing deep into Harry and riding it out as he came inside him. He couldn’t help but to smirk, knowing that this is exactly what got them there in the first place but really, he didn’t care.

“Ugh my god,” Louis moaned against Harry’s neck, nuzzling into his hair and smiling as his eyes drooped closed. Harry was tight, and warm, and perfect around his cock and he almost wished they could stay like this forever.

With a groan he finally eased out, shifting to lie on the bed and pull Harry down with him, spooning up behind him. His hand slid over the curve of Harry’s waist and around to rest on Harry’s tummy, a smile spreading on his lips. Harry was showing. Definitely showing now, and though his sweaters mostly hid everything from the unknowing eye… Louis knew. And he loved to look and touch and feel Harry’s little tummy and how smooth his skin was.

“Fuck, that was amazing,” Louis sighed, nuzzling Harry’s neck and rubbing his tummy gently. “You’re perfect,” he said, lips finding their way to kiss Harry’s skin.

Harry smiled, the afterglow radiating around both of them as the afternoon sunlight spilled in through the windows, warming them both. He’d moved past the morning sickness, it seemed, and the tiredness was waning too. Mostly he was feeling good in his second trimester, feeling happy and in love and excited about the baby coming in only five months’ time. Now he was all about noticing how his body was changing, his tummy showing the round little baby bump easily. He – much to Louis’ delight – noticed his arse getting bigger too (“All the more to squeeze, really”, Louis had added), as well as his face a little rounder but not too noticeably.

His skin was clearer with the pre-natal vitamins he was taking, his hair shinier, and over all Harry felt great and Louis delighted in it. Happy, cheeky, smiley Harry was the best kind of Harry to have around and Louis would take it no other way.

“Gonna have to start thinking about releasing some kind of statement soon, aren’t we?” Louis asked against Harry’s shoulder, knowing that hiding this little belly wouldn’t last much longer. Harry was already visibly pregnant in just a t-shirt now and he could only wear sweaters for so long before that wasn’t going to do any good either. “I mean everyone important to us knows already so it’s just a matter of the… public.”

Harry nodded, knowing that was true. Their families had delighted in it with them and, to Harry’s surprise, his mother had not wanted to kill him for it. He couldn’t have been more grateful.

The boys took it well, too. Zayn laid claim on being Godfather but Harry knew they couldn’t possibly choose only one of them and it was settled that Liam and Niall would be godparents too.

Management, though shocked and scrambling to re-arrange schedules and appearances, supported them through it all and the final release statement was left up to Harry and Louis’ discretion when they were ready.

Harry felt so blessed to have the life he did. He’d been incredibly fortunate for the career he had, the friends, his family… everything had worked out so far in his life and he couldn’t imagine that this wouldn’t, as well. He and Louis, though he was sure they weren’t exactly ‘ready’, were going to be just fine. They had all the support in the world and their friends and family mattered most. His mother and Robin were excited as could be, Gemma thrilled to be an aunty, and all of Louis’ little sisters were buzzing with the excitement of not just one but three babies coming, what with Louis’ mom about to go into labour any day now.

“Shall we now?” Harry asked slowly, shifting a little in Louis’ arms to turn to face him, a smile on his lips. He had post-sex pink cheeks and blowjob-reddened lips and Louis wanted to stare at him forever.

“Now?” He asked, raising his eyebrows. “How do you mean?”

“Just… twitter, perhaps? Quick and easy? I don’t want to make a big deal about it or seem like we want all the publicity. Something easy and direct ought to take care of it,” Harry said, nodding his head. He didn’t want to field any interviews or press conferences, no magazine articles or tabloids, just something straight from him and Louis. No fuss. He didn’t want to give any particular magazine or news channel the satisfaction of breaking the probable biggest story of the year. He just wanted to announce this together, just the two of them.

“Alright then,” Louis nodded. “You do what you want.” Simple. No fuss.

Harry shifted once more, reaching behind him for his iPhone sitting on the bedside table. He tapped his Twitter app to open it up, biting his lip as a sudden wave of nerves washed over him when he chose the ‘new Tweet’ option. He typed quickly, attaching a photo with it.

“How’s this?” He asked, showing Louis his composed tweet.

“Perfect,” Louis agreed, nodding. Harry took a breath, tapped “Tweet”, and it was done.

He’d attached the most recent ultrasound photo – this time their baby looking like an actual little human with a nose and fingers and everything. His name, ‘Styles, Harry’, sat in the top corner of the ultrasound photo affirming its validity. One single word followed the photo – the very thing that caused Harry to discover the pregnancy in the first place:

“ #pregnant ”

* * * * *  
 

The media frenzy was unreal but Harry knew to expect it. He, somewhat unfortunately, was always a headline-maker and this was double everything else. All questions, thankfully, were diffused to management and publicists but that didn’t stop trips into town being nightmares. Paparazzi were tenfold and Harry thought one of these days he may indeed go blind due to too many flashbulbs in his and Louis’ faces any time they went anywhere.

Thankfully, a lot of media attention was positive and only peppered with a few comments here and there about he and Louis’ relationship. He didn’t mind. Harry had always been comfortable with himself and who he was, and meeting Louis only solidified that for him.

Louis completed Harry, truly. From their first days on the X Factor as soloists they were fast friends and Harry supposed that was the best start to being in love. Love came easily, but how could it not? Louis was brilliant. Funny and charming, stunningly good looking… Harry was taken by him almost instantly and it had been an easy ride with Louis to where they were today. Falling in love was easy, growing up together helped, and now Harry was twenty years old and thinking about how to decorate one of the spare bedrooms for a nursery.

“What do you think about mint and lavender?” He pondered, sat at the breakfast nook with a magazine open in front of him. He desperately wanted no pinks and blues for their baby but he certainly wanted their nursery to be tasteful and soothing and fitting, really. He flipped a page, looking down at different crib and change-table sets, wondering about how much furniture a baby’s room really needed. Hand resting lightly on his tummy, Harry thought perhaps he might like dark mahogany to contrast pale mint walls he had in mind.

“I think you have an eye for that sort of thing, certainly,” Louis affirmed, sipping hi cup of tea as he leaned over the nook to check out the magazine, though upside down to him.

“We’ve got to get a rocking chair,” Harry said quietly, nodding a bit. “Proper, like. Old, wooden, hand-carved, you know? My nan’ had a lovely one when I was little.”

Louis just smiled as he watched Harry, wanting to reach out to touch his curls but refraining from disturbing Harry’s pondering. Harry was so lovely and Louis sometimes wanted to just eat him up, really.

He was excited for the baby, too. Mostly he just terrorized Harry delightedly with stories of his baby sisters, of baby spit-up on Harry’s favourite scarves, of exploding diapers and peeing mid-change. He took immense joy in the looks of horror on Harry’s face, laughing happily because as much as he was truly in love with Harry… well, being a right menace was high up on his priority list as well.

“Whatever you want, love,” Louis nodded, sipping at his tea. Anything for Harry.

“What about names?” Harry asked, raising his eyebrows a little. They hadn’t talked much about names just yet and mostly Harry was a little afraid of that task. Naming a human being was a big task and he wanted to do right by their baby.

“Mmm, haven’t thought much,” Louis said with a small shrug, setting his tea cup down and raising his eyebrows as he looked at Harry. “I suppose we’d need to find out if it’s a girl or boy, hm?”

“D’you want to?” Harry asked, thinking to himself. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to know. The idea of surprise was kind of nice to think about, but he supposed that knowing the sex meant an easier time thinking about names.

“Could be nice, yeah,” Louis nodded, shrugging his shoulders casually. “Maybe next ultrasound, hm? It’s only a week away,” he said, glancing over his shoulder at the calendar on the refrigerator where various appointments were marked onto it. Louis was so thankful they were on break right now. He couldn’t imagine trying to keep up with everything if they were on tour right now. It’d be impossible and no doubt stressful and tiring for Harry.

“Okay, well. Yeah, that would be alright,” Harry agreed, closing up his magazine and smiling up at Louis. In a week’s time they’d have some idea of what kind of names to think about for their baby. Harry didn’t mind whether it was a boy or a girl, really. Louis had four baby sisters and was somewhat experienced in helping raise girls. He supposed a boy would be easiest because, well, they were both boys. But really? Harry just wanted their baby to be healthy and happy and loved.

Louis smiled as he moved around the island in the center of the kitchen, coming round to Harry’s side and leaning in for a little kiss. He smiled at him, pecking his lips a few times. Louis couldn’t have been happier than this, here with Harry in their kitchen, planning baby names and what colours to paint the room. They were both so young still, but if not now then this was bound to happen later. Whether adopting or what, he knew they were going to have children one day and he supposed that while they were young and healthy and fit and energetic still… it was nice this way.

“You’re lovely, you know?” Louis said, bringing his hand up to stroke back Harry’s full curls, somewhat unruly now that Lou hadn’t been around to tend to them. Louis didn’t mind one bit. Harry looked beautiful and Louis couldn’t help but just smile as he stared at those brilliant green eyes.

“You tell me so,” Harry smiled up at Louis, leaning up for another kiss.

* * * * *  
 

Harry is in the shower when he feels it.

He stopped, mid-shampoo, eyes darting open widely before his hands flew to his round belly, pressing against the side and gasping when he felt it again. The tiniest of little flicks against his hand. The baby kicked.

“Louis!” He called loudly, hurrying to rinse the suds from his hair as the hot water ran over him. “Lou, hurry!” Harry yelled more urgently, scrambling to shut off the water. He could condition later.

Louis looked up from where he was loading the dishwasher, staring at the ceiling for a moment before he heard Harry’s voice again. Panic spread through him. What was wrong? Louis dashed from the kitchen for the stairs, taking them two at a time and nearly skidding down the hall into the bedroom. He tore through to the en suite bathroom where Harry was stood in the shower, the glass door pushed open, all naked and dripping wet and grinning.

“What?! Harry what? Are you okay?” Louis’ voice nearly cracked in fear, but his face soon softened when he took in Harry’s grin.

“C’mere, come!” Harry said, reaching for Louis’ hand and pulling him in. He pressed Louis’ palm against the lower side of his tummy, looking up at him. “Feel!”

He waited a moment, praying there would be another, and there was. A little press against Louis’ hand and Harry couldn’t have been happier when he saw Louis’ eyes light up, his whole face taken over by the brightest smile Harry had seen in ages.

“She kicked!” Louis gasped, hoping to feel another. “Haz, I felt her! She kicked!”

Harry just laughed and nodded, so thankful Louis could feel her too. He wouldn’t have wanted to experience this little moment alone; or with Louis let down that it was too small a kick for him to feel.  He laughed happily as Louis embraced him, not a care in the world about Harry being dripping wet. He pressed their lips together, the increasing space between them making it more difficult as time passed but he didn’t mind. Their baby girl was a good enough reason to make kisses a little trickier.

“You’re all wet,” Harry laughed as the kiss broke, his wet hands sliding up over Louis’ chest and shoulders, smiling happily at him and loving this moment. His second trimester was going swimmingly, he felt energized and happy and excited and everything seemed to be going according to plan.

“I don’t care,” Louis said, sliding his hands back over Harry’s little belly, loving the curve of it so much. He held his hands there on Harry’s belly, so excited about this. She kicked and he felt it and that made things very real. Not that they weren’t real before but mostly they were just things Harry was going through – changes to his body and hormones and the like. And sure, Louis could see the growth of Harry’s belly, but there wasn’t a lot he could participate in for the time being. Now, though, he felt her kick and soon enough they’d be able to actually see her move and shift around. It was overwhelming in the most lovely of ways.

“C’mon now, back in the shower with you,” Louis said as he pulled away from Harry, tugging his now-wet t-shirt off and wiggling out of his football shorts, smiling at Harry. “Finish up, let me join you,” Louis told him, nudging Harry back into the shower and pulling the glass door closed behind them.

Harry turned the water back on, hot and soothing and perfect as Louis slipped up behind him, chest pressed to Harry’s back and pressing kisses over his shoulder. His hands slid down over Harry’s hips and along his little belly, just holding there for a moment. There was something so beautiful about Harry’s pregnancy. He was beautiful all the time but the pregnant glow and just knowing that he was carrying a little life inside… it was powerful and Louis sometimes felt like he simply couldn’t get enough of Harry.

Harry smiled too, tipping his head back to Louis’ shoulder, relishing in the kisses dropped against his neck and shoulders. This was something else. The baby kicked, she was healthy and moving around and it was really all he could ask for. Really, Harry supposed, his life was pretty perfect.

Before Louis really knew what he was doing he found himself grinding his hips forward against Harry’s arse, rocking against him gently as he kissed over Harry’s wet, beautiful skin. A perfect moment just happened, mixed with the hot shower all around them, and Louis couldn’t help but want to turn it into more. He groaned softly as Harry tipped his head back to kiss him, sliding one hand up Harry’s body to his chest, fingertips and thumb teasing one of Harry’s nipples and pinching softly.

Harry moaned appreciatively, grinding his body back a little to give Louis more friction. He wanted this too. Hot, steamy, shower sex. He was always in the mood, these days. Sometimes he felt a little bad for Louis, really, because Harry was insatiable for it and Louis sometimes needed a minute to breathe. Pregnancy hormones were driving Harry wild but Louis didn’t have that problem and, unfortunately for Harry, had the sex drive and stamina of a regular, average twenty-two year old. Still, Harry appreciated Louis’ obliging him with a quick handie or blowjob here and there when Harry was whining particularly extra that day.

This was different, though. It didn’t need to be rushed or desperate. Just he and Louis in the hot shower together, enjoying each other’s bodies and the lovely moment they’d just shared. Harry smiled through a moan as Louis’ hand slid from his chest down around his hip and to squeeze his (now, meatier squeezable) arse cheek, unable to help the way he jiggled it a little. Harry laughed lightly, knowing that he was rather scrawny before he got pregnant though he didn’t doubt that Louis loved him any less when he had a tiny butt.

Harry shifted around in Louis’ arms so they were face to face no, smiling at him as his hand slipped down Louis’ body to his cock, circling around him gently and stroking a few times. He smirked as Louis moaned quietly, moving his hand a little faster now once Louis returned the favour to his own dick. His hand squeezed Louis’ tip a little, moaning as he slipped his hand down again. They knew each other so well by this point – knew each thing each other liked or didn’t like, knew what elicited which kind of moans, and Harry loved that about their sex.

“Fuck,” Louis moaned quietly, lips catching Harry’s in a messy kiss as the hot water poured down from the shower. “God, that’s perfect,” he groaned softly, unable to help the way his hips rolled into Harry’s hand. They moved together perfectly, hands nearly matching each other stroke for stroke, and Harry knew he probably wouldn’t make it much longer.

“M’close already,” he murmured as he bit Louis’ lip playfully. “Are you going to come too?” Harry asked so innocently Louis nearly lost it right there. Harry never failed to amaze him with how he could be so dirty but mask it in complete innocence at the same time. It was dirty and perfect and Louis loved every little piece of Harry.

“If you keep talkin’ like that I will,” Louis moaned softly, smirking a bit as he shifted a little in order to wank Harry a little faster now. “That mouth is far too pretty to be talking like that.”

Harry knew that Louis was an absolute sucker for dirty talk and he used it to his advantage sometimes. He nodded a little at that, shuddering as he rocked his hips forward into Louis’ hand, moaning obscenely as he did so.

“Come for me,” Harry drawled into Louis’ kisses, moaning into it and jerking him off faster. He smirked as he felt Louis’ hand falter only slightly, loving the effect he could have on him. Harry loved the way Louis’ hips pressed forward, loving the way they touched each other, loved how he knew when Louis was close like this. Just as close as he was.

It wasn’t much longer before Louis’ hips bucked and he came over Harry’s hand, spurting against his hip too. Harry followed so closely, letting out a loud, low moan as he came too, grinding up into Louis’ hand and shuddering through his orgasm. He was breathing a little harder now, smiling through it at Louis as the hot water washed them clean.

“Perfect,” Harry said with a little smile, pressing a kiss to Louis’ lips. “You’re beautiful when you come,” he said, smirking at the way Louis’ knees almost buckled and he reached out to brace himself on the shower wall. He laughed lightly, shaking his head a bit because Louis was so… well, perfect.

“As are you, love,” Louis laughed lightly, smiling and kissing him once more. “C’mon now. Let’s get washed up,” Louis said, pulling away to reach for the soap.

* * * * * 

Harry has been particularly uncomfortable as of late. He’s gotten a lot bigger – nearly nine months now – and getting up and down isn’t as easy anymore. His hips and back ache all the time no matter how much Louis rubs his back and tries to help in any way he can. And she’s stronger now, too. Her kicks are harder and sometimes she stabs a foot or a fist, Harry’s not entirely sure, into his ribs and it knocks the breath out of him.

And now, with how big she is and how much she moves around, Harry has to pee like a racehorse almost every hour and has had a few near-misses a time or two. Louis had to pull over what seemed like hundreds of times on the way back from visiting their mothers so Harry could pee on the side of the road, the next stop not close enough for him to hold it.

Today’s an okay day, though. Harry had crashed hard after getting back from Doncaster, slept through the afternoon and woke up in the evening to Louis stroking his hair back from his face and softly calling his name. His eyes blinked open sleepily, slowly, and he looked up at Louis, confused about what day it was after his nap.

“’ello there,” Louis cooed to him, petting Harry’s hair still. “Did you sleep nicely?”

“I think so,” Harry said, voice thick with sleep. He shifted to stretch a little, sighing a bit as he looked back up at Louis with a smile.

“It’s nearly time for tea and I didn’t want you to sleep too late, else you won’t sleep tonight,” Louis told Harry, just taking him in for a moment. Their little one was going to be here in a few weeks’ time and it was nice to just cherish these moments together, just the two of them, before their lives changed forever, really.

Harry nodded a little, closing his eyes again to just enjoy the warmth of the bed and Louis touching his hair. He was truly lucky, he knew. Louis was everything. Louis shifted on the bed, smiling a little as he moved his hand up underneath Harry’s t-shirt to touch his belly, feeling the shift of their baby almost immediately.

“She knows when you’re here,” Harry told him, nodding his head as he watched Louis’ smile light up. “When she hears your voice. She always starts moving around,” Harry said quietly, feeling another little shift of the baby. Louis laughed lightly as he felt a strong kick against the palm of his hand, still awed by it sometimes.

“Is that right?” He asked, shifting on the bed to stretch out between Harry’s legs, pushing the t-shirt up to expose his tummy. Louis pressed a kiss just below Harry’s navel, hands holding the sides of Harry’s belly gently. “Do you hear me in there?” He asked, eyes flicking up to look at Harry as he shifted to sit up a little more against the pillows. Almost immediately there was another shift, this time more toward Louis and his voice. “Ah, so you do,” Louis laughed lightly, kissing Harry’s stomach again. “Well I am so excited to meet you, little one. I know you’ll be just as beautiful as your dad here.”

Harry swooned at the way Louis kissed and talked to his tummy, knowing their baby could hear their voices at this point and seemed to recognize Louis’, at least. It was perfect.

“Do you want to be ‘dad’?” Harry asked, looking at Louis. They hadn’t really discussed what they’d like their baby to call them and who was going to be whom, if they were going to differentiate even. Harry supposed it would be nice to have their little one call him ‘daddy’ but he wondered what Louis wanted, too.

“I think you’re dad,” Louis nodded, looking at him again, resting his cheek against Harry’s belly. “You’re carrying her. You’re daddy. I might like to be ‘papa’, I think. It’s quite nice, really,” Louis said, smiling brightly – the way Harry loved, with his eyes all crinkled up.

“Papa,” Harry repeated, as if testing out how the word felt and sounded from his mouth. “I think it suits you,” he said. He’d had daydreams about Louis carrying their daughter around on his hip, looking like he was born to do it. He was a natural with children and Harry knew that would only intensify with Louis’ own child. Louis was going to be the very best papa in the whole world.

* * * * * 

Harry’s “due date” was pretty much any day now.

Doctor Woodrow had speculated but more or less wanted to schedule a caesarian section to prevent any unnecessary trouble. Sometimes when women went into labour it was only an hour before they were ready to push and with that not being an option she hadn’t wanted to take any risks in complicating the birth of their child. If Harry went into labour and the baby was ready to go, there wasn’t exactly a way for him to ‘deliver’ and Doctor Woodrow worried about stressing the baby.

Harry was miserable.

He was sore everywhere and the size of the baby made it hard for him to breathe fully, comfortably. He was aching and cranky and sick of being pregnant by this point. Gone were the days when he felt happy and glowy. No, now he was miserable, hot all the time, and constantly poking back at the baby every time she jabbed her feet into his ribs.

“Bloody move already,” he grumbled as he pressed the heel of his hand into the space just beneath his ribcage, trying to get her to shift again but there was really no place for her to go anymore. He was as pregnant as he was going to get, stretched to the point he thought she might just burst through him like Alien.

“Aw love, anything I can do?” Louis asked, his hand reaching over to rub the back of Harry’s neck.

“Don’t touch me,” Harry snapped as he flinched away, feeling a little guilty about it but mostly he couldn’t help it. He was cranky constantly in these last few days and when he was once insatiable for Louis’ touch… this last week or so he was rather cross with Louis. Louis was the reason he was in this position in the first place; in a roundabout way, at least. He knew it took two to tango but it was easier for now to blame it all on Louis and pout about it.  

Louis pulled his hand away quickly, frowning a little. He knew Harry didn’t mean it; not really. It was a little hard not to take it to heart, though, because he really did love Harry a lot and wanted to make him as comfortable as possible, but he tried to understand what Harry was going through and how he was feeling.

Mostly Harry just wanted out of his own skin and for her to decide she was ready to come out now instead of waiting for the scheduled c-section date.

* * * * * 

The heavens were not on Harry’s side, it seemed, because his c-section date had arrived with no complications or need to move his surgery date up. The last two days had been nearly unbearable with his hips feeling like they might break away from his pelvis, sure his lower back was bowed permanently now, and lamenting the once beautiful, toned body he’d worked rather hard for. Now, Harry felt like a total whale beached on the sand and hardly able to get up or down without a hand to help.

He’d spent what seemed like more time in the bath than out, the natural buoyancy at least taking some of the pressure off him. And Harry knew that Louis was doing his very best to be supportive and anticipate his needs, and Harry did appreciate it. He knew he was a right git the last few days in his misery and he felt terrible because he didn’t want Louis to think he was regretting any of this or being parents at all. He wasn’t. But growing a six pound human inside of him was not the easiest thing he’d done in life, was all.

“You’re ready to go, love?” Louis asked as he stood near the front door. The pre-packed hospital bag was near his feet, stuffed with clothes for Harry and a few onesies and hats for their baby, a few things here and there Harry might need or want. Louis took the car keys out of his coat pocket, smiling as he looked over at Harry, stepping into his shoes.

“I think so,” Harry said, his contemplative face put on as he thought about if he was forgetting anything or not. He wasn’t nervous really, not yet. It felt mostly like going to a check-up appointment but the reality was that in a handful of hours’ time they would have a baby girl to bring home. Crazy.

“We’d best be going then,” Louis said, not wanting to rush anything but they had a bit of an arrangement to keep the paps off their tails. An ‘anonymous tipper’ had planted a seed that Harry would be delivering at an entirely different hospital, and they prayed that all the paps would be heading there and leave them to get to Harry’s appointment in peace.

Beautifully, it had worked and when the driver pulled into the service bay of the hospital they were able to sneak in in private rather than use the main doors. Harry could not have been more grateful to the staff for allowing them this privacy considering the price put on photos of them at this time. Harry had heard tell that photos of them leaving the hospital with their baby were going for millions of pounds and photos of their actual baby - somewhere in the tens of millions. It disgusted him and he would never sell photos of his child.

Once he was all checked in and he and Louis brought to the birthing suite Harry sat on the big bed, nibbling his lip a little. Now it was real. Soon enough Doctor Woodrow would be in to take them through the procedure and then they’d be off to the operating room and Harry thought he might be sick.

“My mum’s coming down, right?” Harry asked for certainly the tenth time. He knew that she had taken a few days off of work to be with them but he felt he needed the constant reassurance.

“Yes, love,” Louis said as he sat next to Harry, stroking back his hair and kissing his temple. “She ought to be here shortly. I told her you’re only allowed one person in the operating room with you, and that’s going to be me, but she said she wanted to just wait while we’re in there.”

Harry nodded, frowning a little. It made sense, of course. He was a man of twenty, now, but he still had a yearning in his heart for his mother in this moment and he hoped she would be here before he was taken for surgery prep.

“And your mum? When is she coming?” Harry asked, looking at Louis.

“Tomorrow sometime,” Louis nodded. He didn’t want anything overwhelming either of them today but he knew Harry’s mum ought to be here considering her son was the one having this baby. He knew the next few days were going to be full of family and friends and rarely a moment’s peace. Today, at least, could be just them.

Doctor Woodrow knocked softly just then, stepping into the suite and smiling her bright, cheery smile, which set Harry’s nerves at ease a little.

“Good morning, gentlemen,” she cheered, coming into the room. “How are you feeling, Harry? I’m just going to need to do a pre-exam here, take your blood pressure and the like to make sure we’re all ready for surgery, hm?”

Harry liked Doctor Woodrow. She was always bright and smiley, always put him at ease. She reminded him of his mum and he supposed that was kind of a nice thing. The pre-tests went easy enough. Blood pressure just fine, heart rate good, everything was right on track.

“Alright lads,” Doctor Woodrow chirped. “We’ll have a nurse prep you both for the OR and we’ll be on our way, hm?”

Louis thanked her as she left and turned to Harry, leaning in for a soft little kiss.

“Ready for this?” He asked, holding Harry’s hand and threading their fingers together gently, giving a re-assuring squeeze.

“I don’t know if anyone is ever ‘ready’, are they?” Harry asked back, biting his lip nervously. Louis chuckled.

“No, I suppose not,” He agreed, laughing lightly. “But I think we’re as ready as we could ever be, aren’t we? And I’m glad it’s you and me. Glad we’re doing this,” he said. Louis was masking his own nerves well, he hoped, but he was sure Harry knew better.

* * * * *  
 

Harry had never really been afraid of his emotions. Crying wasn’t something he stopped himself from doing when he needed it. A cry was good for everyone sometimes, wasn’t it?

He wasn’t at all prepared for the feeling that ripped through his chest when he heard that first cry from their baby as she was brought into the world.

Her tiny little voice tore through the air, small squawks filling the room from somewhere he couldn’t see. The surgical screen was put up to keep the messier parts out of view as Doctor Woodrow operated, and Louis was sat up by Harry’s head, petting his hair and holding his hand. But when Doctor Woodrow’s assistant nurse moved around the screen to set her – their baby – on Harry’s chest there was no holding back. She was tiny and still goopy and had a headful of thick, dark curls, and Harry was near sobbing as he brought his hands up to touch her hair and little face while a nurse rubbed her back to keep her crying and working her brand new little lungs.

Louis was, perhaps, a greater wreck and Harry didn’t know if he’d ever seen Louis so emotional in his life. This was their baby. She was here in the world, a real little human being that they made together. Harry felt Louis press kisses to his temple, not a care in the world about the tears on his face. He wanted to protest when the nurse insisted they take her off to clean her up and weigh her and check vitals but he knew it was for the best and, he found almost immediately, the best was all he wanted in the world for his girl.

“Haz, she’s perfect,” Louis cooed to him, stroking his hair and looking into his brilliant green eyes. “You did so good, I’m so proud,” he said, tears in his own eyes still. Louis pressed their lips together and Harry brought his hand up to cup Louis’ jaw, overwhelmed with the surge of love and adoration for Louis.

“Six pounds, four ounces,” a nurse’s voice called out. “Vitals all good.”

Instant relief.

Once everything was taken care of – stitches done and baby cleaned up and Harry and Louis moved into the recovery room, a nurse brought her over to Harry. Taking her into his arms he couldn’t believe how natural she felt, how once he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to hold her properly but now he couldn’t remember a time where he didn’t know how to hold his daughter.

“My god,” Louis said, sitting in the bed right beside Harry, looking down at her. Her eyes were closed, no doubt the business of being born was utterly exhausting, but that didn’t matter to them. “Isn’t she the prettiest,” Louis cooed, fingers coming up to touch the soft ringlets of hair peeking out from the little knitted hat on her head.

Harry shifted a little, holding her in his arms and staring down at her sleeping face. She was tiny and perfect and he counted ten of the most beautiful fingers he’d ever seen. He was certain her ten little toes were just as perfect.

“Do you still like the name we talked about?” Harry asked quietly, knowing they had a few ideas but meeting her to see if it fit was most important. He looked up at Louis, wondering how he felt.

“I reckon it’s the perfect name for a little princess as beautiful as she is,” Louis nodded, the back of his index finger brushing gently down her cheek.

“Mmm,” Harry agreed, nodding and looking back down at her. “Welcome to the world then, Sophia.”

* * * * * 

“Your turn next then, innit Zayn?” Louis teased, laughing brightly as he nodded his head to the chair where Perrie was sat, cuddling and cooing to Sophia, the rest of the world tuned out to her. She was lit up and beautiful and Zayn knew that one day she would be the most beautiful and perfect mother to their children. One day not any time soon, however.

Harry was appreciative of the couple of days staying in their hospital suite, knowing Sophia needed to be monitored for a while as a precaution with a male pregnancy. It had been a pretty steady stream of visitors but he found that he didn’t mind too much, really. All the boys, Louis’ mother and sisters and - finally – brother, Gemma and Robin, everyone who mattered most to them. Today was quiet though. Louis and Harry, Zayn and Perrie. Harry was glad for a quiet moment to close his eyes while Perrie cuddled Sophia and Zayn and Louis chatted about the last few days and how wonderful everything had been. Flowers and balloons and cards of congratulations filled nearly every open space in the suite but it was certainly nice to be loved.

“I’m nervous about going home,” Harry said quietly from where he was sat in the bed, opening his eyes again and frowning slightly. “Everyone knows by now that she’s been born. I’ve never minded the paps much before but this is different,” he said, sighing a little. He couldn’t imagine the swarm that would be awaiting them when it was time to go home with Sophia.

“We’ll figure it out, love,” Louis nodded, sitting on the edge of the bed and looking back at him for a moment. “Make a secret mission out of it if we must,” he said, smiling and trying to ease Harry’s mind.

“We can leave when you’re going,” Zayn piped up, glancing back at Perrie for a moment. “Go out the main doors; hopefully distract them while you two make a run for it, like.”

“We appreciate that, Zayn,” Louis said, nodding his head. He knew they’d arranged it with the staff and security at the hospital to have a car waiting in the emergency vehicle service bay again so they could sneak off out staff-only doors but the distraction of Zayn and Perrie leaving would certainly help as their busy schedules rarely meant paparazzi could snap them together anywhere.

It wasn’t much longer before discharge papers were signed and Sophia was bundled and dressed and tucked away safely in her baby carrier and they were off. Post-surgery Harry was walking to the bathroom and back on his own but he wasn’t able to do much more than that just yet so he was wheeled down halls and corridors, into elevators while Louis carried the baby carrier and Harry’s hospital bag. They were grateful for Zayn and Perrie’s willingness to leave through the main hospital entrance and tell lies to the paps about Harry being released tomorrow, how they were leaving to let Harry and Louis rest.

Into their awaiting car, Louis quickly figured out how to properly buckle Sophia’s car seat into place, settling in with Harry before they were off and out, no one any the wiser.

* * * * * 

Fatherhood, Harry found, was quite lovely. Sophia cried when she was hungry or needed a change but for the most part was a delightfully happy baby, content to sleep or stare at him most of the time.

He was laid in bed, propped by a few pillows with Sophia lying on his bare chest, fast asleep while he flipped through the telly. Louis slipped into bed shortly after, cuddling up to Harry’s side to look in on their baby girl.

“I still can’t believe it,” Louis said quietly, laying his head on Harry’s shoulder and watching with a smile at the way Sophia’s tiny, perfect little mouth made gentle suckling motions here and there as she slept. “She’s so beautiful.”

“I think she’ll have your eyes,” Harry said with a nod. “I hope so, anyway. They’re brilliant,” he said, his hand resting protectively against Sophia’s back as she slept. “And her hair is so curly. That’s mine, I suppose,” he said, smiling as he tipped his head to kiss Louis’ forehead.

“Can you believe we did this? We made this. It’s hard to wrap my head around, you know? We’ve created a tiny human and she’s equal parts us, it’s bizarre. Reproduction is nuts!” Louis laughed, still baffled by the whole thing at times.

“It is pretty weird,” Harry agreed, but he wouldn’t change it for the world. “But she’s ours and we made her and it’s nice to think about.”

“It is,” Louis nodded, sighing happily. He ultimately felt fulfilled, really. He’d wanted to be a father since forever and now he was and, though it was sort of scary knowing he was responsible for this little life for the rest of forever, he wouldn’t take it back if he could.

They lay there quietly together, watching Sophia sleep for a short while. Louis was taken by her, knew he would be wrapped around her finger from this moment on. He imagined futures of her first footie matches and dance recitals, of her and his brother and sister growing up together, of playing with her backstage on tour. Louis imagined how different his life was about to become but for the better.

“Haz, I was thinking,” he said after a while, shifting away so he could sit up and look at Harry properly.

“Uh oh,” Harry chided, smirking up at him though he knew it was in jest.

“Just. She’s here now and we’re her parents,” Louis started nervously, twisting his fingers in his lap gently. “And we’ve been together practically since I bumped into you in the bathroom at boot camp and just…” he sighed. Louis wasn’t one for nerves, nor loss for words, but this was big.

“Lou?” Harry asked, soft, encouraging.

“She deserves a proper family and proper dads,” Louis said, looking at Harry and biting his lip. “And you’re Styles and I’m Tomlinson and she’s Styles-Tomlinson and I just, you know. I think we should be too,” Louis said, stumbling over his words a little as Harry stared on.

“Are you… asking me to marry you?” Harry asked, a smile spreading on his lips, eyes bright and happy as he looked at Louis.

“I suppose I am, yeah,” Louis nodded, laughing a little at his own inability to do that properly but he supposed that was just him, really.

“Well, alright,” Harry nodded, reaching his free hand out to pull Louis down to him, pressing their lips together softly. He smiled between kisses, bumping their noses together lightly.

Louis laughed a little, glad they got through that. He kissed Harry once more before shifting to settle in next to Harry again, cuddling close, their perfect little family tucked together like a puzzle. Harry reached to the night table for his phone, smiling to himself. He lifted his phone to snap a photo of the moment, cuddled into Louis, Sophia asleep on his own chest, he and Louis smiling happily at the camera.

Opening Twitter, Harry attached the photo to a new tweet, typing with his thumb. It was a tweet, a hashtag that started this whole thing in the first place. It seemed only fitting as he hit send.

“Styles-Tomlinsons! #engaged!”

**Author's Note:**

> Find me at [flamingoshirts.tumblr.com](http://flamingoshirts.tumblr.com)


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